Steven Heid says a Humpback Whale Boat Strike Long Island collision came seconds after his crew shut down the engine and drifted near Moriches Inlet. The humpback whale hit the boat near Fire Island, ripping a door from its hinges and tearing a hole in the hull.
Heid, Steve Bashian, and Oliver Samter were fishing when they saw bunker fish and cut the engine. The boat was still moving slowly when the whale erupted from the water and struck the side, nearly capsizing the vessel. None of the three were injured.
Oliver Samter and the video
Heid told his nephew, Oliver Samter, to start recording moments before the impact. Samter said, “I thought it might have been damaged. Maybe we were going to go down,” after the whale hit the boat.
The video spread quickly because it captured how fast the encounter unfolded. Before the strike, Heid said, “This whale is coming toward us,” and Bashian later said, “If it wasn't a large boat, I think we would have been in the ocean,” as the vessel took the blow.
Whale Awareness Act and 300 feet
Under New York's Whale Awareness Act, boaters are required to stay at least 300 feet away from whales. Rob DiGiovanni of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society said the fishermen appeared to have done the right thing by shutting down the vessel and avoiding active maneuvering near the feeding whale.
Heid said, “You have to stay away from the bunker pods because the whales are feeding” and added, “I am a big conservationist, so I'm always very vigilant and careful.” After the collision, he said, “Thank God the whale swam off, and everything was fine,” as the animal quickly moved away.
The open question is why the whale still struck the boat after the crew had already shut off the engine and drifted away from the feeding area.
